Lake Du Bay (Lake Dubay Beach), Little Eau Pleine River Watershed (CW14)
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Lake Du Bay (Lake Dubay Beach), Little Eau Pleine River Watershed (CW14)
Lake Du Bay (Lake Dubay Beach) (1412200)
0.03 Miles
0 - 0.03
Natural Community
Reservoir
Year Last Monitored
2023
Unknown
 
Portage
Trout Water 
No
Outstanding or Exceptional 
No
Impaired Water 
No

Fish and Aquatic Life

Current Use
Supported Aquatic Life
Attainable Use
Default FAL
Designated Use
Default FAL

Overview

Lake DuBay, in the Johnson and Peplin Creeks, Little Eau Claire River, Little Eau Pleine River, Mill Creek and Mosinee Flowage Watersheds, is a 4,649.20 acre impoundment that falls in Marathon and Portage Counties. This impoundment is managed for fishing and swimming and is currently considered impaired.

Date  2015

Author   Aquatic Biologist

Historical Description

Source: 1977, Surface Water Resources of Marathon County

Lake DuBay, T26N, R7E, Section 33
Surface Acres = 6,653, Maximum Depth = 30 feet, Secchi Disk = Not
available
A soft water drainage lake (impoundment) having slightly acid,
medium brown water of low transparency. The immediate shoreline
is predominantly upland (95 percent) with the remainder being
wetland. Sand is the dominant littoral material, with lesser
amounts of rubble, gravel and muck. Fish inhabiting the flowage
include walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, black crappie,
pumpkinseed, black bullhead, brown bullhead, white sucker and carp.
Migratory waterfowl make considerable use of this flowage.
Emergent and submergent vegetation are common in the littoral area.
Public access is possible from one county and two state access
points. Of the flowage's 42.3 miles of shoreline, 0.9 mile is
public. Developments on the shoreline include 122 dwellings, a
wayside park, Ashley County Park and DuBay County Park. The water
control structure, owned by the Consolidated Water Power Company,
is used to generate electric power. The dam has a head of 25 feet.
Streams entering the flowage include the Wisconsin River, the Big
Eau Pleine River, the Little Eau Pleine River, the Little Eau
Claire River, Peplin Creek, Johnson Creek, Hog Creek and five
unnamed streams. Although Lake DuBay extends into Portage County,
the acreage and shoreline figures for Marathon County represent the
entire flowage. In 1977 the flowage experienced a winterkill, the
first of any significance known to have occurred. This
circumstance was likely precipitated by a significantly reduced
stream flow in the Wisconsin River due to drought conditions.

Date  1977

Author   Surface Water Inventory Of Wisconsin

Natural communities (stream and lake natural communities) represent model results that use predicted flow and temperature based on landscape features and related assumptions. Ranges of flow and temperature associated with specific aquatic life communities (fish, macroinvertebrates) help biologists identify appropriate resource management goals. Wisconsin Natural Communities.
This is the most recent date of monitoring data stored in SWIMS. Additional surveys for fish and habitat may be available subsequent to this date.
Trout Waters are represented by Class I, Class II or Class III waters. These classes have specific ecological characteristics and management actions associated with them. For more information regarding Trout Classifications, see the Fisheries Trout Class Webpages.
Wisconsin has designated many of the state's highest quality waters as Outstanding Resource Waters (ORWs) or Exceptional Resource Waters (ERWs). Waters designated as ORW or ERW are surface waters which provide outstanding recreational opportunities, support valuable fisheries and wildlife habitat, have good water quality, and are not significantly impacted by human activities. ORW and ERW status identifies waters that the State of Wisconsin has determined warrant additional protection from the effects of pollution. These designations are intended to meet federal Clean Water Act obligations requiring Wisconsin to adopt an 'antidegradation' policy that is designed to prevent any lowering of water quality - especially in those waters having significant ecological or cultural value.
A water is polluted or 'impaired' if it does not support full use by humans, wildlife, fish and other aquatic life and it is shown that one or more of the pollutant criteria are not met.
The use the water currently supports. This is not a designation or classification; it is based on the current condition of the water. Information in this column is not designed for, and should not be used for, regulatory purposes.
Waters that support fish and aquatic life communities (healthy biological communities).
The use that the investigator believes the water could achieve through managing "controllable" sources. Beaver dams, hydroelectric dams, low gradient streams, and naturally occurring low flows are generally not considered controllable. The attainable use may be the same as the current use or it may be higher.
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.
This is the water classification legally recognized by NR102 and NR104, Wis. Adm. Code. The classification determines water quality criteria and effluent limits. Waters obtain designated uses through classification procedures.
Fish and Aquatic Life - Default Waters do not have a specific use designation subcategory but are considered fishable, swimmable waters.